AVENTURA, Fla., April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box and The Old Man and the Sea each received multiple Maximum Image Awards including Best 3D and Best 2D Picture and Best 3D and 2D Cinematography at ceremonies here today at the Turnberry Isle Resort. In addition, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its Administrator, Daniel S. Goldin, were presented with the IMAX Founders Award and Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets was inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame.

The MAXI Awards program was initiated in 1998 by Imax Corporation (Nasdaq: IMAX; Toronto) to annually recognize the "Best" 15/70 films of the year. All films released and exhibited in at least one IMAX theatre during calendar 1999 were eligible for competition. Winners were voted upon by all of the active theatres in the worldwide IMAX theatre network. A special panel of industry leaders selected the Founders Award winner, which recognizes an individual or institution that has made a major contribution to the arts and/or sciences of 15/70 large-format films.

"This year's Maximum Image Award winners truly reflect the best in large-format filmmaking," said Imax co-CEOs Bradley J. Wechsler and Richard L. Gelfond. "Each film, in its own right, uses The IMAX Experience to take audiences on exciting adventures to places beyond their wildest dreams. We salute the talented filmmakers who brought these films to life and congratulate them for being voted the 'best' of the best."

In accepting the IMAX Founders Award, NASA Administrator Goldin stated: "The entire NASA team is thrilled about this great honor, because it is the fruit of an amazing partnership. Together the incredible technologies of Imax and the incredible missions of NASA have allowed millions of people around the world to experience the emotion of space for themselves."

Maximum Image Award winners include:

Best 3D Picture: Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box (L-Squared Entertainment)

Michael V. Lewis, producer, Brett Leonard, director.

Best 2D Picture: The Old Man and the Sea (Productions Pascal Blais), Erik

Canuel and Alexander Petrov producers and directors

Best 3D Cinematography: Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box (L-Squared

Entertainment), Sean McLeod Phillips.

Best 2D Cinematography: The Old Man and the Sea (Productions Pascal

Blais), Allen Smith and Serguei Rechetnikoff.

Best Score: Extreme (Beyak Long deJong Franken Productions), SOUL FOOD and

Gordy Schaeffer.

Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box traces the lives and careers of the world's greatest illusionists. The ultimate story of success includes behind-the- scenes footage of the famous duo's spectacular Las Vegas stage show as well as never-before-seen footage of their white tigers and lions as they roam freely in Siegfried and Roy's wildlife sanctuary home. Brett Leonard directed and Michael V. Lewis produced for L-Squared Entertainment.

The Old Man and the Sea, based on the novel by Ernest Hemmingway, is the first large-format film in history to receive an Oscar(R) (Best Animated Short) from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Produced and directed by Erik Canuel and Alexander Petrov, it features an explosion of stunning handcrafted animated imagery.

Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets was the first large-format film to be inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame. Since 1982, the film has been seen by more than 31million people throughout the world and has amassed a box office gross in excess of $100 million, making it one of the most successful non- fiction films of all time. A Destination Cinema release, Grand Canyon was directed by Kieth Merrill and produced by Merrill and O. Douglas Memmot.

MAXI Award presenters included Jim Marchbank, President of the Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA) and CEO of Science North in Sudbury, Ontario; Robert Beitcher, President and CEO of CFI Labs, and Greg MacGillivray, whose highly-successful film, Everest, swept last year's MAXI Awards competition.

Every active theatre in the IMAX network had a voice in the process via a single ballot upon which they cast a vote in each of the "Best" categories and nominated the IMAX Hall of Fame-winner. The ballots were processed in secrecy by the independent accounting firm of PriceWaterhouse Coopers. Balloting for this year's competition took place in early 2000.

Sponsored by CFI Labs, the Maximum Image Award ceremonies were produced by Imax's entertainment industry consulting firm, Newman & Company, along with Imax's Affiliate Relations and Communications Departments.

Imax Corporation and its subsidiaries is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies, with particular emphasis on film and digital imaging technologies including giant-screen images, 3D presentations, post-production and digital projection. There were more than 205 IMAX theatres operating in 25 countries around the world as of December 31, 1999. Imax's subsidiaries include Digital Projection International, whose primary business is the design and manufacture of high-end digital image delivery devices, and Sonics Associates a design and manufacturer of high-end sound systems. Imax has forged strategic alliances and relationships with some of the most prominent corporations in the world including The Walt Disney Company, Famous Players Inc. (a subsidiary of Viacom Inc.), America Online Inc. and Loews Cineplex Corp. Imax Corporation is a publicly traded company listed on both the Toronto and Nasdaq stock exchanges. More information on the company can be found at http://www.imax.com. SOURCE Imax Corporation

CONTACT: Victoria Dinnick of Imax Corporation, Toronto, 905-403-6366; or Al Newman, Entertainment Media of Newman & Company, Los Angeles, 310-777-5252, for Imax/